Summary of parts touched for an alignment?

[4RBob]

I just had new tires installed. Hear a clank/clunk when going slowing in the driveway and tapping the brakes. Just wondering if something was left loose. Lug nuts are tight.

 

[Jeremy556]

There are eccentric bolts at the front and back of the lower control arms. They should be torqued to 129 ft lbs.

 

[4RBob]

There are eccentric bolts at the front and back of the lower control arms. They should be torqued to 129 ft lbs.

Thanks, these are for camber and caster? Are there tie rod ends for toe?

 

[Jeremy556]

Thanks, these are for camber and caster? Are there tie rod ends for toe?

Ah, yes, there are lock nuts on the tie rods for toe adjustment, but klunks are usually from loose LCA bolts. If they are loose, I would take it back, as they have likely moved.

 

[gm350reratliff]

Could also be the brake pads shifting around in the caliper.

 

[Ducmonsta]

Just to clarify, did you ask to have an alignment done? You said that you had tires replaced. Some people assume an alignment is done if the tires were replaced. Although if they didn't recommend it, shame on that salesperson.

 

[THEDK]

Had that once. Axle nuts were loose. Weird. (not a 4r)

 

[4RBob]

Yes, they did an alignment, which is why I was thinking that could be the cause of the clunk. If they did leave something loose, I will have them re-align and ask that they tighten everything this time.

Brake pads are original (60k miles). I think (not positive) that I would have noticed it before, unless they just started moving around?

 

[4RBob]

Had that once. Axle nuts were loose. Weird. (not a 4r)

Hmmm, I did have the diff replaced (diff noise TSB) when the vehicle was new. Yet, something else to check.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

If the vehicle was just brought in for tires, chances are all that was done was the Toe adjustment. Most alignments are "just set the toe and let it go" as many times either the Camber/Caster cannot be adjusted or they are within the specified range. This tends to be particularly true when just aligning for new tires as rarely do tires need Camber/Caster adjustments (unless you're going a good ways outside of factory sizes.)

But it would not hurt to check the LCA eccentric bolts/nuts. If the axle nuts where loose by any significant margin you'd get some weird feeling in the brakes (I had this on my 4th gen when we did the front axle, the driver's front axle nut was being stubborn and didn't seat all the way when we impacted it on; but hey that's what the test drive is for.)

 

[4RBob]

It was the driver side LCA. It wasn't very loose, but not torqued properly. All set now. Thanks everyone. Need to get tires re-balanced anyways, so I think I will ask them to check alignment too. They also need to center the steering wheel better. Lastly, looks like the driveshafts have never been lubed by them, by Valvoline, by a local shop, or by Toyota dealership. Need to ask them to do that too since I paid them for an oil change (it should include lube, right?).

 

[NJSalsaRed]

My vote goes to the brake pads, mine's been doing that since the day I bought her.